Modern telecommunication systems provide users with a variety of features that increase convenience and ease of use. One such feature, “unified messaging,” allows users to access voicemail messages using any of several different clients. As a result, a user can use email applications and web browsers to access audio files associated with voicemail recorded for that user.
This increased accessibility may however lead to security risks. Although a voicemail server may be able to monitor and regulate access to voicemail messages that are designated as confidential by the sending party, copies of such voicemail messages may be forwarded to other applications, including non-voicemail applications, that are not aware of or capable of enforcing confidentiality restrictions associated with these voicemails. As a result, unintended recipients may receive and access confidential messages diminishing the overall usefulness of the voicemail system.